DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3689#0032
2,o zA Serious Call to
I could have called in as many helps, have practised as many-
rules, and been taught as many certain methods of holy living,
as of thriving in my shop, had I but so intended and desired it.
Oh my friends! a careless life, unconcerned and unattentive
to the duties of Religion, is so without all excuse, so unworthy
of the mercy of God, such a shame to the sense and reason of
our minds, that I can hardly conceive a greater punishment,
than for a man to be thrown into the state that I am in, to reflect
upon it.
Penitens was here going on, but had his mouth stopped by a
convulsion, which never suffered him to speak any more. He
lay convulsed about twelve hours, and then gave up the ghost.
Now if every reader, would imagine this Penitens to have been
some particular acquaintance or relation of his, and fancy that he
saw and heard all that is here described, that he stood by his
bedside when his poor friend lay in such distress and agony,
lamenting the folly of his past life, it would, in all probability,
teach him such wisdom as never entered into his heart before.
If to this, he should consider how often he himself might have
been surprised in the same state of negligence, and made an
example to the rest of the world, this double reflection, both
upon the distress of his friend, and the goodness of that God,
who had preserved him from it, would in all likelihood soften
his heart into holy tempers, and make him turn the remainder
of his life into a regular course of piety.
This therefore being so useful a meditation, I shall here leave
the reader, as I hope, seriously engaged in it.
Chapter IV.
We can please God in no state, or employ-
ment of life, but by intending and devoting
it all to his honour and glory.
HAVING in the first Chapter stated the general nature
of Devotion, and shown, that it implies not any form
of Prayer, but a certain form of life, that is offered to
God not at any particular times, or places, but every-
where and in everything, I shall now descend to
some particulars, and show how we are to devote our labour and
employment, our time and fortunes unto God.
As a good Christian should consider every place as holy,
I could have called in as many helps, have practised as many-
rules, and been taught as many certain methods of holy living,
as of thriving in my shop, had I but so intended and desired it.
Oh my friends! a careless life, unconcerned and unattentive
to the duties of Religion, is so without all excuse, so unworthy
of the mercy of God, such a shame to the sense and reason of
our minds, that I can hardly conceive a greater punishment,
than for a man to be thrown into the state that I am in, to reflect
upon it.
Penitens was here going on, but had his mouth stopped by a
convulsion, which never suffered him to speak any more. He
lay convulsed about twelve hours, and then gave up the ghost.
Now if every reader, would imagine this Penitens to have been
some particular acquaintance or relation of his, and fancy that he
saw and heard all that is here described, that he stood by his
bedside when his poor friend lay in such distress and agony,
lamenting the folly of his past life, it would, in all probability,
teach him such wisdom as never entered into his heart before.
If to this, he should consider how often he himself might have
been surprised in the same state of negligence, and made an
example to the rest of the world, this double reflection, both
upon the distress of his friend, and the goodness of that God,
who had preserved him from it, would in all likelihood soften
his heart into holy tempers, and make him turn the remainder
of his life into a regular course of piety.
This therefore being so useful a meditation, I shall here leave
the reader, as I hope, seriously engaged in it.
Chapter IV.
We can please God in no state, or employ-
ment of life, but by intending and devoting
it all to his honour and glory.
HAVING in the first Chapter stated the general nature
of Devotion, and shown, that it implies not any form
of Prayer, but a certain form of life, that is offered to
God not at any particular times, or places, but every-
where and in everything, I shall now descend to
some particulars, and show how we are to devote our labour and
employment, our time and fortunes unto God.
As a good Christian should consider every place as holy,